Dominique

Patience

The way Mark countered her snide remark only served to increase the glum mood Julie was in and she wrinkled her nose in dismay, sinking further into the couch. The sky offered little distraction by now, and insecurely her gaze darted to her friend and back several times over before finally settling on the subject of her grievances. Well, one of them, anyway. “Fine,” she said moodily. “Fine. I guess I can't argue with that.” But despite how unhappy she was, with him, with Maria, even moreso with Bryce, there was one thing she was incapable of and that was to get proper angry with Mark. And fair is fair: he had never really given her reason to, either. “But if this is you trying to get back at me for having a boyfriend you don't get along with, then that's just really, really immature and I don't like it.”

She pulled her legs up on the couch at that and wrapped her arms tightly about her knees, and so failed to avoid the jab between the ribs from Rebecca's elbow. “Stop being a diva” the girl told her patronizingly. “You don't have to be happy about it, as long as he is.”

“...I know.” Julie pressed her lips into an apologetic smile. “I'm sorry, you're absolutely right. It's just... No, you're right. Never mind, I'm not going to ruin a perfectly good morning by-”

She didn't really finish her sentence, as she caught sight of the sudden change of expression on Mark's face as he peered down at his phone. Julie wasn't sure what to make of it at first but what a poor friend she would be if she couldn't tell a look of sheer astonishment when she saw one. There was a spark of happiness there too, though, even if it went concealed under a layer of absolute shock and the hungover girl elbowed her way off the couch and was up in a second, darting over to Mark and glancing first over at him, then, perhaps not entirely respectful towards his privacy, looked at the text message displayed on his phone. “Oh,” she uttered uselessly, eliciting a look of surprise from Rebecca. “Oh! That's awesome news!” Julie easily made up for his lack of immediate excitement by wrapping her arms about him, evil high school girls temporarily forgotten, and hugged him tightly. “I told you you'd get famous now!” she exclaimed perhaps a little too shrill and too close to his ear. “Let me get some drinks – no, coffee,” she insisted and went off towards the kitchen, leaving Mark in the company of Rebecca, who nodded at him with a half-smile.

“Congrats,” she said airily. “Things might be looking up for you, eh.”

She paused when from the kitchen she could hear the jingle of Julie's phone; though suppressed by the two-way door that separated this room from the other, there was no wondering who she talking to. Her voice sounded reserved at first and Rebecca silently rooted for the girl, but it was only moments before that usual sweet pitch returned and when she heard the girl chuckle and assure him that 'Yeah, she could go out today', it was all Rebecca could do to roll her eyes and sink back into the couch.

“That girl's thick as a brick,” she muttered, shaking her head. Sure enough, it was only a moment later that Julie returned, phone still in hand, announcing that she was going for a shower and that they should order take-out tonight to celebrate, before disappearing into the bigger bathroom. She didn't actually say that Bryce would be coming to pick her up, but it was definitely implied.

“Hand me a Sharpie,” Rebecca demanded. “If she's gonna be a doormat, I should write 'Welcome' on her forehead.” She pretended to get up from her seat before leaning over, elbows leaning lazily on her knees. “That guy walks all over her.” The brunette looked to Mark then, trying to estimate his feelings about the whole ordeal. She wasn't entirely clueless on the negative atmosphere in the apartment, of course, but the extent of the hostility Mark felt towards Bryce was a bit of a grey area to her still.

“Doesn't that bother you at all? Like, aren't you her best friend? Sometimes I just want to grab her by the shoulders and shake her and...” Rebecca was abruptly cut off by the buzzer, announcing someone was waiting at the entrance downstairs. “Oh Jesus, did he park his car around the corner when he called?” she mumbled irritably. “Doesn't he have a key nowadays anyway?”

With a look that spoke volumes, Rebecca pushed herself off the couch and in a way suggesting she really rather not wandered over to the intercom, pressing the button while scowling at the thing. “Good thing it doesn't come with a camera, right?” she said airily, then studied it again. “...It doesn't, right?”

-----

Meanwhile, Julie was rushing to get herself prepared to head out. She was in and out of the shower in a matter of minutes and out her bedroom door whilst still buttoning up her vest. She didn't even realize Maria was just leaving the opposite room at the same time and bumped into the girl unceremoniously, causing them both to yelp before ending up staring each other down in the narrow corridor.

“Hey,” the dark-haired girl said, making a conscious attempt to break the ensuing -and very awkward – silence.

“....Hey.”

“So, what are the odds I'd run into you and Mark, huh.” Maria looked every bit as unhappy to be there as Julie, but she was making an effort at least. That wasn't what Julie wanted to hear in the slightest though, and with a subtle unimpressed look Jules leaned against the closed door.

“Yeah, what are the odds you'd go after the one person you didn't try to turn against me back in high school.” A grim look darkened her face. “Didn't you do enough?”

Maria looked sincerely apologetic at that. “It's not like that, Mark and I just happened to run into one another after his gig. We hit it off and one thing lead to another---”

“Please, don't.” Julie wasn't good at hiding her emotions and the look of repulsion spoke volumes.

“Sorry.”

“I really doubt you mean that.” Julie narrowed her eyes; this was feeling uncomfortably familiar and she didn't like it at all.

“Come on Julie, we were teenagers. I'll admit I was a bitch at the time, but I've grown up since. Can't you believe that I've changed?”

That was a low blow – Julie couldn't very well throw a girly fit if Maria was going to act all mature about it. She wasn't sure what she believed though; people changed, but the whole apparent coincidence of it all kept a lingering suspicion in her mind.

“...I believe that Mark is old enough to decide for himself who he does or doesn't sleep with,” she said diplomatically. It was the best Maria would get right now, and she seemed to know it too. Slowly she nodded.

“Well, maybe we can talk some more next time.”

“Next time? There's going to be a next time?”

Maria shrugged. “I don't know,” she said, glancing towards the living room. “Who knows what'll happen, he's a pretty awesome guy.”

Julie averted her gaze; she didn't like any of this at all. But she knew all too well that she had no right to act like a spoilt little princess throwing a fit because she didn't like Mark's new... well, whatever this was. “He is,” she admitted. The buzzer managed to save them both from another snide remark and Julie felt and looked positively relieved. “That's Bryce, he's picking me up to get lunch.”

The arched eyebrow she received for that made an actual question redundant.

“My boyfriend,” she explained, surely making Maria rethink her previous assumption. Julie didn't linger to hear what she had to say about that and quickly hurried towards the front door, passing Rebecca on the way. There was something about the way her friend eyed her that didn't sit entirely well with the girl but she ignored it for now; as far as Bryce was concerned, Rebecca was more on the same page with Mark than anyone else. It was all right though, she didn't expect either of them to understand.... their lives were so vastly different from her and Bryce's.

Julie had opened the door well before Bryce actually arrived on her doorstep. As always, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him; his dark hair was flawless, his shirt and casual suit immaculate and free of any creases. He was still wearing his shades but purposely took them off as he got close to her, flashing a winning smile that immediately won her over. “Let's not fight again, Jules,” he told her, which was more a statement than a suggestion. He magicked an expensive bouquet of roses from behind his back, handing it over to her in a graceful gesture. It was as much of an apology as she would get and Julie couldn't help herself; within moments she was smiling, smelling the lovely fragrance of the flowers and ultimately hiding into a snug embrace.

“Let's not,” she hummed contently, then got out of the way, letting him inside. As she closed the door he already paced into the living room; Julie couldn't help but feel nervous on his behalf – she knew how poorly him and Mark got on – but if Bryce at all cared about Mark's disapproval of his presence then he did a great job of hiding it.

“Hey Becky,” he greeted the girl on the couch, then plopped down on the modern armchair to the side of it. “Mark,” he nodded quickly, crossing one leg leisurely over the other, his foot resting on his knee. “Julianne tells me you're meeting with a record company today. Would be great if you guys got a contract,” he grinned. Julie, who'd only just followed into the room, tentatively put the flowers on the dresser, tersely listening to the conversation. She quietly braced herself for a derogatory remark; Bryce didn't hide the fact that he thought little of Mark and his aspirations to become a famous musician.

She wasn't mistaken.

“Maybe you'll actually be able to pay your half of the rent now, eh. I'm sure Julie will appreciate not having to worry about the bills any more.” He gave her a quick wink as if he were doing a favour; Julie shrank a little, then even more as he addressed her again. “Jules, why don't you put those flowers in a vase. They're gonna wither if you leave them lying around like that.”

Julie swallowed the words on her lips, wanting to tell him to not be condescending towards her friend, and quietly nodded. She made off into the kitchen, only just catching a shred of Bryce informing Mark that hopefully he'd be able to pay the full rent soon. You know, if she and Bryce were going to move in together after graduation.

Patience

Got a bit carried away there, I think. I don't know exactly what to make of Maria yet. I don't think she has to be all-out nasty towards Julie, she might actually be quite nice, but Jules is likely to perceive most things as negative coming from Maria. There's a lot of old resentment there and regardless of what she's like now, Maria was definitely a b*tch in her teenage years.

Come to think of it... is it even allowed to swear in threads? I have absolutely no idea.

Patience

She'd considered going back inside the venue, but what shred of self-respect still remained Julie, firmly kept her from facing any of her friends, acquaintances and whoever else nearby who hadn't been forcibly subjected to the scene Bryce and her had caused just now. Her instinct told her to get out of the street though, and to any place where curious gazes couldn't find her. So she quickly rounded a corner, purposely distancing herself from the infamous club and she paced on her heels through a street still packed with parked cars, but considerably less crowded with people trying to get a belated glimpse of the main act of that night. There was little else in terms of late night entertainment to be found in the direct area, and once she'd walked for a good few minutes Julie realized things were getting awfully desolate – and pretty shady, too. It made her rethink her rash actions a little, and a more cowardly part of the girl wished she'd just remained on that side walk and waited for her boyfriend to return. She'd be in the warm comfort of Bryce's car by now, no doubt stuck in a terse silence that would inevitably be broken when she tried to make amends for something that even now, Julie wasn't sure was her fault to begin with. But at least she would be safe and on her way back to the apartment instead of walking narrow roads in the middle of God-knows-where. And of course, the street she was on steadily declined towards a dubious looking tunnel with pale green lights overhead that offered such an ominous sight the girl ground to an immediate halt upon catching sight of it. If she went in there, surely Bryce would be pissed all over again, albeit for different reasons and ones she really couldn't blame him for.

So stupid, how it always seemed to turn out like this. Despite what this particular night had turned into, Bryce and Julie had a pretty enviable relationship ninety percent of the time. There was but one moot point and anyone who knew Julie consequently knew about her and Bryce's issues in that regard, despite her frantic attempts to make things seem peachy keen. But although Mark and his pals had branded him an utter bastard a long time ago, he generally took really good care of her and worshipped the ground she walked on. It was only where it concerned her living arrangements and the one other occupant to her apartment that Bryce turned ridiculously possessive to the point where they'd spend more time arguing than enjoying their time together whenever they were in the flat. It was an almost predictable pattern: something small would trigger a jealous reaction from Bryce, which forced Julie to walk on egg shells until she, inevitably, messed up in one way or another regardless by either speaking too fondly of Reckless Life, or not being able to meet up with her boyfriend because she'd made plans with Mark or frickin' hugging him for putting on a brilliant show and he'd explode and storm off until either she managed to appease him with profound apologies or he'd spent enough time driving around that his anger had abated and he'd come back, treat her like a queen and never mention it again. Not until it started all over, anyway.

With a sigh of frustration, Julie reached for her phone and activated the screen. Without thinking she looked for Bryce's number among the recent calls, but before she'd pressed it, her eye caught sight of Rebecca's name, right below. The two girls been out together the day before as some sort of reward for Julie helping out at the animal shelter all of last Saturday. Rebecca adored animals and she was a dedicated volunteer at the Silver Lake shelter for cats and dogs who, with her persuasive and enthusiastic character, would persuade her friend into scooping out litter boxes and taking golden labs and German shepherds on long walks four at the time every once in a while.

Julie checked the time, then, despite deciding calling anyone at this hour was definitely inconsiderate, quickly rang her friend in the hopes of getting a ride home.

-------

“That's ridiculous. And you actually let him get away with it?”

It had taken a while for Julie to open up, but by the time they'd managed to make their way back to the apartment and into her room the words had come pouring out without any hesitation whatsoever. She wasn't one to gladly spill her personal issues, and she wouldn't dream of sharing her relationship problems with Kelsey and Selene (they had placed Bryce on a firm pedestal from the get-go where he unequivocally remained until the end of time). But Rebecca was always willing to lend a listening ear, provided she had the time to spare. In times of need though, the girl would drop just about anything to come to a friend's aid, and truth be told Julie had no idea what Rebecca had been up to when she picked up the phone. With a short “I'll be there ASAP” she'd come to pick up Julie and despite her directions being obscure at best, it was less than twenty minutes before the five year old Lexus came roaring around the corner, relieving the blonde girl from the growing concerns that she was going to be dragged into the nearby shrubs never to be seen again. They'd made a beeline for Julie's apartment, and while it had probably been Rebecca's intention just to drop her off, the girl's emotional state had her decide to camp out in Julie's room that night instead. So armed with a couple of Coronas (make that a lot of Coronas) they were currently camping out on top of her queen size bed, pillows stacked to ridiculous height behind their backs and a Guy Ritchie movie playing on the LCD screen mounted on the wall.

Julie nodded unhappily to the question. In Rebecca's company, shame and guilt had rapidly been replaced by a feeling of indignation over being told off when she'd really not done anything to begin with.

“It's not like he didn't know when we first met,” she commented grouchily. “I mean, I was already living here, I already went to these gigs and I've known Mark like, forever so what's he complaining about? It's not like he has anything to worry about – if I wanted to fuck my best friend, that would have happened by now.” Her tongue was considerably looser under the influence of alcohol, but the brash words still served to make her blush. A quick look at Rebecca and they both burst into a girlish fit of laughter that persisted for a good minute before finally fading to a bemused chuckle.

“Did he try ringing you again?” Rebecca inquired after some time. Julie looked down at her phone, flicking the screen back on with a routine swipe motion. Bryce had called her three times and from the looks of it, sent her quite a few messages. A grim look of satisfaction crossed her features before she tucked the phone back in her pocket. He deserved to be worried. Asshole.

“What?” Rebecca eyed her quizzically, and Julie couldn't help but laugh.

“Did I say that out loud?” she said sheepishly, and her nose wrinkled into a look of dismay. “Well, he is an asshole. A really rich, handsome, protective and caring asshole.”

“Preach it, sister,” grinned her friend, and they clinked bottles before downing what must have been their fourth drink or so since arriving here. “You might wanna send him a text though, or he's gonna end up serenading you at your balcony in the middle of the night.”

“It is the middle of the night, and that would be something. I imagine he'd hire someone to do it for him though.” Julie fell silent when the sound of someone opening the door announced Mark coming home. The presence of a female voice informed them that he wasn't alone. Rebecca and her exchanged looks, the former arching her eyebrows as the uncoordinated stumble of two people who didn't have the patience to wait until they were in the privacy of their bedroom to get better acquainted resounded from the hallways, shortly after followed by the sound of a door closing.

"Hah, looks like success is already paying off," Rebecca snickered.

“Sssssh,” Julie warned, a bit of a slur in her voice. “Don't let him hear us.”

They stared at one another whilst listening to the noises that ensued. Sounds of music being put on were a dead give-away of what was going to follow and Rebecca suppressed an amused chuckle when something evidently fragile fell to the floor and shattered to pieces. Considering the nature of the noises that ensued though, it didn't seem that anyone was going to be picking up the shards right now.

“Oh God,” Julie whispered worriedly, “Is this what I put Mark through with Bryce?” She bit her lip upon hearing the voice of a girl clearly enjoying herself. “I sure hope not,” she added, looking a little sullen.

“What, are you jealous?” inquired a snickering Rebecca, who instantly received a pathetic little smack on the shoulder for her efforts.

“No, of course not,” Julie protested. “I just don't think he's ever brought a girl home before. It's a little--- weird. You know, I kinda forgot he had a..."

"A sex life?"

Another impassioned cry resounded and by now the two girls were actually getting a little uncomfortable. Julie quickly crawled towards her night stand and reached for the remote. The previous movie had long since ended and she hurriedly flicked through the list available, not being particularly picky before settling on a classic. The way she upped the volume earned her another look from her friend but Julie couldn't really care less about what she thought. "Hand me another drink," she demanded instead, and with a huff fell back into the cushions. This was awkward.

---------

It was late morning when Julie woke up again. She didn't actually recall falling asleep but in her inebriated sleep that wasn't all too surprising. Rebecca was snoring softly beside her; Julie found herself quite snugly curled up against her friend and if she wasn't assaulted by a killer headache the moment she opened her eyes she'd probably feel embarrassed about it. “Ow...” she groaned, rubbing her temple with the heel of her hand. Struggling into an upright position she kept her eyes closed, feeling her way towards the door. Dressed in nothing but her pyjama shorts and an old soccer shirt she was still squinting by the time she'd managed to stumble into the kitchen. She never even noticed the girl and therefore the greeting came as an unpleasant surprise that made Julie jump visibly. She blinked a few times before looking up, and she had to comb a few of her long curls back to get a proper look at the, er, visitor.

“May?” Julie cast the girl a look of utter confusion; it couldn't have been all too sharp a sight judging by the ill-concealed smugness with which Maria regarded her. If Julie hadn't been all too aware of what had been going on the night before then the girl's appearance made it blatantly obvious now, and she wondered absently just what it meant that Mark had actually brought a girl with him. She wasn't particularly pleased that out of all the billions of women in the world, this had apparently been his pick.

“I uhm...wow.” Jules' eyes widened slightly and to give herself a distraction, she turned and reached for the upper cupboard door, opening it and grabbing her coffee mug. Pouring herself a much-needed cup o' Joe she wisely tried to gather her thoughts on the presence of the girl. Conflicting memories clung to Maria Liao's appearance; few of them pleasant, most of them having left a bitter aftertaste that even now hadn't quite dissipated yet.

“We uh... were watching a movie,” she replied, realizing that some sort of response was expected from her. Julie didn't fail to notice the way Maria's eyes quickly darted to Julie's bedroom door.

“We?” she asked curiously.

“Yeah, look, hang on a minute, I just need to--” Julie didn't even bother forming a proper sentence and quickly made herself scarce again; to say the dark-haired girl's presence had come as a shock was a bit of an understatement and she desperately needed to gather her thoughts before attempting any sort of conversation.

Mark was just leaving his room as she made to enter hers, their doors opposite one another. Julie shot him a look that could only be interpreted as an annoyed ”Really?” before averting her eyes and heading back into her bedroom, where a drowsy looking Rebecca was making attempts to squeeze into her skinny jeans whilst still lying on the double bed.

“Good, you're awake,” a rather terse sounding Julie commented. Without a thought she set the coffee down on her night stand, the hot liquid splashing over the edge and dousing her smart phone. Pulling open her wardrobe she went in search of an acceptable outfit – her mental state was thrown back into her high school years where appearance was everything and the right clothes were the best way of garnering confidence – and grew increasingly aggravated by the ridiculous amount of blouses, cardigans and knee length skirts she possessed. Her eye ultimately fell on the summer dress Bryce had once given her – not even for a special occasion; he was just a hopeless romantic who loved to surprise her – and hurriedly tugged it over her head. As she went in search of her hair brush, Julie pointed at Rebecca, gesturing for her to get off the bed.

“Hurry up and get dressed,” she instructed, “I need moral support.”

That caught Becky's attention and she immediately rolled off the bed, continuing her battle to get her pants over her well-rounded bottom while standing upstraight. “Is Bryce here?” she inquired with a heated face, heaving a sigh of relief as she finally managed to close the top button. “I didn't hear the door.”

“No no, he isn't.” Truth be told, Julie had all but forgotten about her boyfriend, her mind preoccupied with old resentment and mixed feelings she couldn't quite place just yet.

“Mark brought a – a girl to the apartment. And I don't like her.” That was a bit of an understatement and it really didn't cover the situation at all. “I don't want to sit in the living room with her on my own, and I can't stay in here like a hermit without looking like an idiot now.”

“Uhuh.” Down-to-Earth Rebecca nodded, a twinkle of amusement in her eyes as she rounded the bed, reached past Julie and tugged a clean shirt from the stack in her wardrobe. “I'm borrowing this,” she redundantly informed her. “We'll just ruin her self-confidence by looking absolutely stunning.”

Julie couldn't be sure if her friend was being sarcastic or sincere; it was probably somewhere in between but when it came to loyalty, Rebecca was gold. Which, coincidentally, was the opposite of Maria Liao.

“So why do we hate her, exactly?”

“Oh, I don't hate her, per se...” Julie objected, although that was probably a lie. “She's just not a very... great person.” Her hand already on the door, Julianne hesitated, then looked back to Rebecca. “We used to be friends in high school, until I found out she was talking trash about me behind my back. It cost me my friendship with Samantha and my weekend job at the Travelstore, among other things. It's eh... it's complicated.”

“Say no more,” smirked her friend and she pressed the door open, barging past Julie and leading the both of them into the living room, where both Mark and Maria turned their heads towards the two arrivals with rather different expressions plastered on them. Unceremoniously she fell onto the couch and Julie quietly followed; the physical proximity of her friend alone already served to lift her spirits a little.

“I'm Rebecca,” Becky introduced herself, though she didn't bother to get up. Her keen eyes took in the appearance of Maria, who seemed to counter the critical look with a similar sort of gaze.

“Maria,” she replied just as curtly, and the girl ever so subtly edged a bit closer to Mark. Julie noticed the way her hand was lingering closely beside him on the couch; not quite touching his leg but near enough to claim him, as it were. Typical. “So, are you two together together?” she inquired airily. Julie instantly blushed; Rebecca, naturally, had her answer ready and wrapped her arm about her friend's shoulder, tugging her closer. Julie just made a point of not looking at Mark at this point, but didn't object; she couldn't care less if Maria thought her to be a closet lesbian right now.

“What's it to you if we are?” Rebecca asked sharply.

“Oh no! I didn't mean it like that!” Maria almost seemed genuinely apologetic. “It actually makes a lot of sense, looking back on things.” Julie suppressed a look of annoyance and stubbornly continued to stare down the coffee table. “I mean, how else can you live with this guy for four years and still sleep in separate rooms?”

Now Julie didn't need to look up to know what was happening, although from her peripheral she could see Maria reaching out to run her finger affectionately down the side of Mark's face. Whether he was pleased with that, she wasn't sure; she vengefully hoped not.

“Right, excuse me for a minute...” Maria jumped up, and she was clearly feeling a lot better than Julie at this point. The girl looked around, pointing at the furthest door. “That's the bathroom?” she inquired, then wandered off, leaving the remaining three to sit there in silence. Julie was still making a seeming effort to have the table spontaneously combust, but as soon as she heard the bathroom door closed her gaze darted up and she sat more upstraight; Rebecca seemed to catch on and removed her arm, then went to sit at a more conventional distance.

“So Maria Liao,” Julie commented, a bit redundantly perhaps. She was stuck between not wanting to cause another fight – one was enough for now – and still wanting to air her grievances. “Of all the people in the world, you bring her back? Nice call, Mark.” So much for being complacent.

Her words were dripping with cynicism, something that really didn't fit her and Julie quickly set her gaze on the large window; not that the grey, densely packed clouds offered an interesting view, she just didn't have the nerve to look at Mark after that.

Patience

Julie Lancaster

Julianne Marie Lancaster, 21, main character

About to graduate in Management, a bachelor's degree at Loyola Marymount College. Her tuition is entirely paid for by her parents, but to pay for her own upkeep she does administrative work at one of Los Angeles' main hospitals. It was a careful career choice suggested by her father as a way to get into the world of Health Care after getting her diploma. With graduation imminent, Julie is faced with the choice of finding an entry-level position in her field of expertise or continue with a master's degree. Of course, neither are mandatory in her current luxury position of being the long-term significant other to Bryce Carson (two years and counting), a last year student with both a glorious background and a bright future. A well-paid job awaits him the moment they press that red-ribboned paper into his hand and if she wished to do nothing but look pretty in a villa by the coast, then that would be exactly what she'd get. But although Julie isn't entirely convinced she'd suit the part of trophy wife, her mind has been filled with the rose-tinted dream of having the perfect family with the perfect children in a lovely house, and when her life seems to scream for that to become a reality, then who is she to say no?

Julie's been a family-oriented girl since she was little. Always lugging dolls around, always fussing over her little twin siblings Eric and Susannah; she'd be the fair-haired girl who'd put on her mom's high heels and use the curtains for a veil as she pretend-married her best friend in an elaborate wedding with all her Barbies and stuffed teddies – including her favourite toy turtle Tortuga Toby – playing the part of revered audience. That dream never quite dwindled, and in her teenage years she, much like most of her friends, really, struggled with the fear of never finding Mr. Right and being alone for the rest of her life. Not that she had anything to complain about where it concerned male attention; Julie had been hanging with the popular crowd all throughout highschool. Unlike her friends, she wasn't part of the cheer leading squad but rather as a striker on the girl's first soccer team, but with it being by far the most successful team the school had to offer it did little to lessen her popularity. She dated here and there, but with her conservative upbringing there was a significant limit to what she could and would not do with the opposite sex. It was probably that which brought her to move out at age eighteen though, and living on her own had been like finally being able to breathe. Mark was in many ways the best roommate – and in many other ways the worst – and in her parents' eyes he could do nothing wrong. While living with a man was unconventional to say the least, at least in her father's eyes, Mark Verona had always been 'that sweet little boy from next door' who Julie had been friends with since she was yea high and therefore her decision received their reluctant blessing. Julie wasn't going to shatter that illusion.

Bryce came into the picture entirely at random, one night while out in the city with some college friends. He wooed her not in the ways of the knights of old, but with a flattery and conviction that had her flustered and charmed all at once. Convincing her that he was right for her wasn't a difficult task and when he called her the day after she didn't even consider turning down a proper date. A second and third soon followed and they all too soon became exclusive. As time passed, more and more of her life began revolving around Bryce, and he continues to treat her like a princess... as long as her opinion doesn't stray too far from his expectations, anyway.

Her study had not been a choice of passion, but rather a logical follow-up after high school. She enjoyed the medical world and with her mother being a nurse and her father a successful business advisor it seemed like an ideal mix – nice and safe and leaving a lot of options for the future. Julie's upbringing had been warm but somewhat sheltered, and the urge to seek what was comfortable and familiar tended to be far stronger than her desire to step out of her comfort zone. She was intelligent enough to breeze through the four years of college without too much difficulty, but with the end in sight the thought of devoting her life to something that has reasonable financial prospects but really doesn't offer the career she could put her heart into, the option of bailing out after graduating becomes all too tempting.

Bryce Rushton

Bryce Rushton, 24

This guy's had everything going for him since the day he was born, at least in the material sense. His father has been working full-time and then some throughout his entire childhood (and before that) and they now have the wealth to show for it. His father, George Rushton, is the CEO of a prominent Estate Agency currently employing over forty agents who cater to the high end clientèle of southern California. They're working to open additional offices in Malibu and Miami, and once he's completed his bachelor's degree in Business Administration he will be set on a golden path from agent to broker to managing one of their newer locations. He is all about appearance, and on the outside he's a great guy: confident, smart, friendly and a great smooth-talker, which naturally comes in handy in his particular career path. Below the surface it's a slightly different story.

Bryce's parents – George and Camilla Rushton – are both in their early fifties. Camilla is a stay-at-home-mom, although that term is being used in the broadest sense. She's a beautiful woman with a refined taste in architecture, fashion and a true wine connoisseur. She doesn't work in the traditional sense but enjoys discovering young artists and helping them become more widely known (she owns an art gallery specifically for such occasions), something her husband calls her 'little pet projects'. It earns her some extra money, although it doesn't by far live up to the amount she spends; fortunately, money has never been in an issue in the Rushton family. Camilla adores attention and surrounds herself with people willing to praise her for her beauty (and willingness to throw money at the people she's most fond of). The Rushton's marriage is not perfect, but they have reached a mutual understanding that works for them both. Camilla's needs are generally not too complicated and though her husband's free time is limited she distracts herself from their relationship's shortcomings with all things money can by – wealth can offer great solace, after all. Though he's never given her reason to believe he doesn't care for her, Camilla sometimes wonders if their initial love has faded, but she's too afraid to ask for fear of knowing the answer. She's turned a blind eye to any signs of their marriage slowly coming apart and although there have been a few occasions where she was practically forced to become suspicious of his faithfulness to his spouse, to the outside world the woman bravely feigns that they are forevermore the perfect couple.

Naturally, the example of his parents' marriage doesn't leave their only son unaffected. Though mostly subconscious, his girlfriends have all shared certain resemblances. Without exception they were all beautiful and never too headstrong or independent. Bryce enjoys being the strong one in a relationship, and his dominant nature meshes well with a more docile girl. But they lacked a certain challenge, for lack of better words and in Julie he has found the perfect mix of complacency, intelligence and mild independence to keep him from getting bored. Indeed, she fits well into his long-term plans and together they dream of a picture perfect family the world would envy.

Needess to say, he isn't too fond of Mark's presence. Not only because he looks down upon him -status is everything, after all - but the fact that his girlfriend socializes and worse, lives together with someone like that is something that just about infuriates him. Not that he'd let on that he's upset with her sharing an apartment with such a social failure of course; Bryce much prefers getting his opinion across by dropping the occasional insult barely concealed as a smug remark. He has big plans for the future involving a house together, probably far away on the east coast.

George and Camilla Rushton, 55 and 51

Friends

Kelsey Martins and Selene O'Connell, both 21

They've been a happy threesome since the first year of highschool, and Kelsey, Selene and Julie have shared just about everything throughout their teenage years. These two girls share Julie's general view of the future, with a big diamond ring on their finger as the ultimate goal. Selene has taken a serious step into bagging herself a successful husband; she's recently become engaged to an IT manager. Kelsey is currently dating a pilot twice her age, who has a daughter only three years younger than her. It makes for a complicated situation and she loves to complain about what she regards her 'unfair competition' on their monthly get-together, a tradition that persists ever since they parted ways. They have no particularly high opinion of Mark, who, in their eyes, contributes little to society and has none of the aspects a man should have. Which makes it no surprise that they practically idolize Bryce and often harass Julie with questions on whether or not he's popped the question yet – something that never fails to fill the girl with anxiety. They tolerate Mark's presence but only because he's likely the only person Julie seems to have a strong opinion about, so they keep a wary eye on him to make sure he doesn't interfere with their 'BFF's perfect future.

Rebecca Hinderson, 26

Though Julie's made a few friends in her college years, Rebecca is by far the one she socializes with most – and coincidentally, also a polar opposite to her highschool friends. Described by her father as 'that hippie friend of yours', she has a rather unique lifestyle and before she began attending college she'd spent over a year backpacking through Asia. The stories she shares never fail to intrigue Julie and she looks up to her friend in many ways, sometimes quietly wishing she could just have a shred of her dauntless nature. She's a vegetarian and a fan of classical rock, and the only friend who actually gets along with the members of Reckless Life. She's accompanied Julie to their performances more than once (Kelsey and Selene went once and complained the whole evening about loud music, dubious smells and the floor being sticky with alcohol). The girl has a live and let live attitude and won't easily criticize anyone's lifestyle. Julie sometimes goes to Rebecca for advice, especially when it concerns things she knows Mark doesn't agree with. It's not always easy to get a hold of her though; the girl does so much voluntary work she's practically never home, and you're more likely to find her at the animal shelter than in her own apartment.

Family

Edward Lancaster, 49 and Mariska Hart, 42

Julie's mother is the third daughter in a family of five, who was raised with strong Christian values. Her husband Edward is only religious in name, and as a result their own children have grown up in what can best be described as a laid-back religious way. They are both fairly conservative in their ways, to who family always comes first. Mariska worked as a nurse for a long time, but when the twins were born she gave up her work to look after all three of her children. Eric and Susannah are five years younger than Julie and they're just leaving their most rebellious teenage years. Julie absolutely adores her two younger siblings and they are one of the main reasons why she's always stayed close to her parental home. She visits them frequently and brings Bryce along whenever she can persuade him. Her parents adore him and fail to see any flaw in the man. He is the promise of a steady and bright future for their oldest daughter and Julie loves her parents dearly. Their opinion matters a lot to her and in a way it perfectly aligns with her subconscious desire to pass up on taking responsibility for her own actions. And whilst the Lancasters have been nothing but supportive of the girl in any way possible, her somewhat dependent nature has her unknowingly chase her parents' vision of her future.

George Lancaster has been working for an IT firm for most of his life and steadily made his way up the ladder. He's on a first name base with his boss and they regularly have dinner together, and all in all his life is somewhat hectic, but considerably pleasant. The Lancasters still live in the house where George grew up in (when the opportunity presented itself he bought the house from his mother, who moved to an elderly home but has since passed away) and although their annual income well exceeds the average of the neighbourhood (they are the only family with a swimming pool in the backyard and a large Audi on their driveway) they are happy to remain there and though they are often the subject of envious eyes, they generally get along well with the rest of the neighbourhood.

Eric and Susannah Lancaster, 15

Patience

Julie had little attention to spare for the band that was currently playing, and it showed even in the way she'd physically positioned herself with her back towards the stage. It seemed a considerable part of the audience agreed with her though, and the interest in the lads didn't increase as the polished music droned throughout the hall in an attempt to reel in the crowd. Julie wasn't much impressed, although she didn't know if that was her personal opinion or a lack of real talent on their behalf. Whether the girl truly appreciated rock music was up for debate, and even Julie couldn't really be sure if she wasn't just being a supportive friend who had learned to love the music because she had gotten to know it so well over the years. There was no denying that she could be a bit on the fanatic side where it concerned Mark's band though – and because of the amount of blood, sweat and tears he had put into it she would for evermore refer to it as that: Mark's band – and silently, she applauded the distinct lack of enthusiasm by comparison that the audience held for – for – oh, she didn't even know what this band was called, nor did she care. Hanging out with Reckless Life and their entourage was infinitely more interesting, and all too soon she was engrossed in a rather pointless but amusing conversation with Dalton Marquez, discussing their favourite sneaker brands and awkward TV commercials.

Of all the band members – Mark excluded, of course – Julie got along with him best. Not that she was on bad terms with any of the guys (at least she didn't think she was), but out of the group he was the most approachable and seemingly keen to chat with her. Surely it had to do a little with their shared past, although they had never been particularly close throughout high school. Truth be told, Julie didn't remember him very distinctly at all from that time, but if she was entirely honest her and Mark had been considerably less close in the middle years of their high school years so that wasn't all that surprising. Something to do with different cliques and what not; Julie had been a strong member of the populars whilst Mark had been on a whole different and rather unique course. How they hadn't drifted apart was beyond her but it made their friendship something worth treasuring (though if he'd ever hear her give voice to such thoughts he'd probably mock her for being so sentimental) and for that, she made an extra effort to get along with all members of Reckless Life. Not that it was particularly hard; despite their lives being so vastly different from hers, the fact that she was Mark's friend and room mate seemed to be enough to be accepted, and all in all, they were just pretty awesome guys. Perhaps the slight exception to that rule was Cave Wyatt... Not that she disliked him, really, she didn't! But if she was completely, bluntly and totally honest Julie had to admit that the man scared her a little. Whether it was his background, his outspoken nature or the fact that him and Bryce hated each other's guts, she couldn't be sure - actually, it was probably a bit of all three. Julie wasn't particularly confrontational and preferred to keep the peace if she could help it. Past experience had taught her though, that whenever those Cave and Bryce were in the same room things would rapidly escalate. It was no wonder that Mark and her had not hung out as much as of late; their social circles meshed about as well as water and oil.

The mention of an after-party sparked her interest, and instinctively Julie glanced over at Mark. There was a hint of insecurity hidden in the look; lately she seemed to have been walking a fine line between being a part of the group and overstaying her welcome – and it wasn't because of her, of course. She didn't really get the chance to make up her mind one way or the other though; like clockwork, Bryce made his reappearance in the Hellcat.

"Just a moment," she excused herself and slipped from her seat. It was clear that her boyfriend was slightly less successful in making it into the inner circle that seemed to have formed around the bar and so instead, Julie wrestled her way outward and towards him, taking both his hands in her own as she got close enough.

"You came back!" she said, voice laced with sincere merriment. Clearly though, that sentiment wasn't reflected by her significant other. They hadn't parted on the best of terms during the performance; Bryce had mumbled something about needing a smoke or having a headache and when it became evident that Julie had no intention of joining him outside - to be fair she'd been too immersed in the show to even realize he'd been complaining - he'd walked away and left her on her own in the crowd. Although on her own was a bit of an exaggeration; Julie knew most of the more authentic fans by name and had gladly joined them for the remainder of the gig. She'd have worried about Bryce's absence if this had been the first time for him to leave early. Julie knew from experience that it was better to let him cool off for a while when he was in a mood; he'd probably be a lot more level-headed later.

“You done here?” he asked rather crudely. Julie pulled a face at that - perhaps she'd been wrong in her assumptions.

“Done? I thought you were coming to join me. The guys said--”

"Can we just go home?" he interrupted her, and with his index finger and thumb rubbed his temples. "I have a killer headache, and tomorrow I got that meeting with my dad at the company, so I really don't need this right now."

She tried to hide her disappointment, and after a second's pause the girl nodded in understanding. Bryce had been under a ridiculous amount of pressure lately, what with work and his nearing graduation. She supposed that a rock concert at a bar that smelled mostly of old sweat and stale beer wasn't the best way to relax. “All right, just uh...let me say goodbye first.”

Julie lost the skip in her tread as she returned to the group. She went straight for Mark, leaning into him to make herself audible. “Look, me and Bryce, we uh...” She pressed her lips together into an apologetic look, then briefly glanced over her shoulder. She didn't need to explain; even Mark didn't care much to see her boyfriend near and he probably didn't need to guess as to why she was bailing on him. “Well, we should be going.” She hastily pressed a friendly kiss on his cheek before retreating, and Julie cast him a warm smile. “You were awesome, Mark, I'm just so proud of you!”

The girl couldn't help herself, she just had to hug him even if it was an assault on his manliness (or ego) and so she embraced Mark tightly. Julie stepped away shortly after, letting her gaze wander to the rest of the group. “See you later, guys,” she mouthed, giving them all a little wave, then hurriedly padded off to Bryce, who was still waiting at a short distance. He looked moody and she clung to his arm, following him as he instantly made for the exit. Julie didn't bother saying much; not only wouldn't he be able to hear it, but anything she did say would be likely to just set him off when he was this irritated, so it was in uncomfortable silence that they walked back towards the car. Julie wasn't even sure why he was being so grouchy, although it no doubt revolved mostly around the fact that she had persuaded him to come here in the first place. Nothing about it fit into Bryce's world and if he could help it, it wouldn't fit into Julie's either. But he knew all too well that though she would do just about anything for him, banning her closest friend and the things dear to him from her life just wasn't an option, and admittedly, he had made some brave attempts in the past to adjust to her one 'quirk', as he called it. Although thusfar, it hadn't worked out too well.

“They really did play well,” she tried, once they'd distanced themselves sufficiently from the overwhelming background noise that was the main performance of the evening. The night had chilled even further and again, Julie crossed her arms in an attempt to cover herself up. Bryce paused briefly, and, watching her shiver, moved to put his coat around her shoulders. This time Julie made no attempt to remove it and she gladly pulled the jacket more closely about herself. “I'm happy you came with me,” she said, emboldened by the gesture. “Mark was--”

“Can we stop talking about Mark now?”

The words were spoken harshly, and Julie immediately fell silent, her eyes widening with shock. It took her a moment to catch on to his train of thought..

“...What?” she said confoundedly. “I thought--”

“Well maybe you shouldn't think.”

“Don't be rude.” Julie knitted her brows together irritably. “Why are you so upset? No one forced you to come with me tonight.” His sudden anger, sprung upon her, was getting on her nerves as well.

“Good thing I did though, at least it kept you from doing something we'd both regret.” He cast her a sidelong glance, one that she didn't appreciate much.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Abruptly, Julie halted, turning to face Bryce. An unlikely look of anger littered her features and she abandoned the grasp she'd had on his arm. Bryce shrugged gruffly, a stubborn look on his face.

“All I'm saying is that the way you're hanging around that...” He gestured back towards the club. “It's not right, okay? What am I supposed to think when you're all over him like a--”

“Like a what?” she cut him off. Suddenly it became all too clear what was bothering Bryce, and the sheer repetition of this argument was enough to make her angry, too. “He's my friend, Bryce. My best friend. I've known him since I was a toddler, we played together, hell, we used to share a bath together when we were kids. Are you gonna be jealous of that too?” Her voice was high-pitched now, and despite wanting to keep herself in check her bottom lip was quivering. Julie didn't want to argue, but she couldn't quite stop herself from getting annoyed with the amount of distrust Bryce was displaying toward her. And not for the first time, either.

“Don't be stupid Julianne, you can't just do these things and expect it not to have consequences." There was a belittling undertone to the way he spoke, something that managed to frustrate Julie beyond anything else, and she was having a hard time not to jump at his throat over it. Instead she screwed her eyes shut and heaved an aggravated sigh.

"Look, can we just forget about this?" she pleaded, trying her best to ignore the curious looks they were getting from several bystanders. "Let's just go home, Bryce. You're making a scene over nothing.” She reached for his arm now, but he angrily pulled away.

“It's not nothing if you're gonna act like a right whore every time you set foot in one of these back-alley places!"

The silence that ensued was palpable, and even Bryce seemed shocked by his own words. Not as much as the subject of his accusations though, and Julie stood petrified, staring at him for the longest time. It wasn't until she subconsciously started stepping back from him that he came back to life himself, and Bryce reached for the girl, looking rather hurt when she drew away from him. "Ugh, just get into the car, Jules," he said, fumbling for the keys in his pocket. The vehicle was close behind him, and the alarm lights lit up as he unlocked it. But Julie cared little to step inside, and her lips pursed into a look of disgust.

"I'm not going anywhere with you right now," she bit at him. Oh, she was one for keeping the peace, but once that threshold was crossed there was no saving the situation and Julie would walk home before she'd drive with Bryce right now. And surely he knew it too, and at least in strong-headedness they matched each other just perfectly. He aggressively tore open the car door and fell inside, glancing at the girl on the sidewalk just once more before turning the key and making the engine roar. He sped off before Julie could get another word in... not that she had any intention of stopping Bryce to begin with. With a look of distress she watched the Audi disappear around the corner; only after he had vanished from sight did she realize she was still wearing Bryce's coat and she angrily shrugged it off. She was so ridiculously tired of this.

It happened every time her past life and her future life crossed paths. Every single time. She didn't know what to do about it; Julie didn't want to have to make the choice between the two things she loved dearly. She pressed her hand to her lips, stifling a sob. People were watching her as they walked past, adding a feeling of embarrassment to her already morose state of mind, and she dipped her head so she could ignore them. What was she going to do now? He'd come back, he always came back but she wasn't going to just wait here for Bryce to return - she had some pride, at least.

Fuck.

Patience

It was dark by the time they got out of the car, and Julie couldn't unclip her belt and jump out of her seat fast enough. Without looking she thrust the door open, narrowly avoiding a small group of guys in baggy pants and faded jackets. She got off with a mildly annoyed ”Hey, watch it!” but she paid it no heed; already she was struggling out of her ivory wool trench coat and with a carelessness that was an insult to how expensive the coat had been she threw it on the passenger seat. Her cardigan followed and soon she was shivering on the curb dressed in nothing but a skirt and her dark tank top. The night was cold, and she crossed her arms, impatiently waiting for Bryce to finish locking up the Audi. He was looking around himself with disdain; a facial expression he had carried ever since they'd left the restaurant earlier that evening. It had been a struggle right from the getgo. The fancy get-together with his parents was delayed significantly by the late arrival of Mr. And Mrs. Rushton, but that had hardly been a surprise; they were always late, and usually arrived whilst in the midst of a quiet stand-off that brought the atmosphere at any social gathering to sub zero temperatures. Julie didn't dislike the couple, but to say that they were her vision of the perfect future in-laws was a far cry from the truth. Bryce's father was a businessman with a love for all things lucrative and a disdain for those with different aspirations. Fortunately for him, his prodigal son was all too eager to follow in his footsteps and for that, George Rushton adored him. The man had a sharp sense for talent, for opportunities, although Julie suspected that Bryce was his one and only blind spot. Bryce, though very talented, had a knack for getting away with doing as little as possible with the same result. Julie couldn't blame him for it though; she'd never been all that eager to put a lot of effort into her study either. She just didn't feel a real urge to further her career in the business world; who was she to accuse him for wanting to have some off-time rather than having to spend the entirety of his days buried in work, right? Of course, his mother hadn't exactly set an example for him to follow either; the well-groomed, perfectly manicured but not naturally blonde was the picture perfect example of a trophy wife just past her prime. And oh, she made a valiant effort to counter the inevitable decline that came with growing older, but with every wrinkle a bit of her confidence seemed to crumble. Even Julie noticed her husband's wandering eye – and uncomfortably so – and she did sympathize with the woman, to whom status was everything. But pity was not something Camilla appreciated.

“You're gonna catch a cold walking around like that.” Bryce, who'd finally joined the girl, shed his coat and made a gallant attempt to put it around Julie's shoulders. She shrugged it off impatiently, then regretted it immediately after and looked up at her boyfriend. “Sorry,” she apologized, “But it's only a five minute walk. I'm fine, really.” With that she paced off, and Bryce had to take a few large steps to catch up to her. “You're in an awful rush,” he commented, and Julie had to swallow a snide remark on how they would have been fine if his parents didn't consider showing up half an hour after their reservations being fashionably late.

“The show started five minutes ago,” she replied instead. “I promised I'd be there.”

“It's not like they'll know whether you're there or not.” Bryce looked every bit like he'd much rather have been fashionably late as well. It was no secret that he didn't care for Reckless Life or these types of gigs in general; he was much more one for frat parties and the occasional theater performance – you know, to keep up appearances. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge on the arts – whether it was paintings, architecture or the orchestra – and a rock band performing in a shady club in one of the city's lesser neighbourhoods was not something he considered particularly artistic.

”I'll know,” she protested, but there was that guilt again, and Julie sighed, briefly slowing her pace to grab hold of his hand. “Look, just do this for me, please?” she asked, utilizing that disarming smile and doe-eyed look Mother nature had blessed her with. Even Bryce didn't usually have an answer to that, and today was no exception, although he still made an effort by rolling his eyes. At least he willingly sped up after that, and it wasn't long before they were making their way through the scattered little groups of attendees who didn't quite feel like going in yet. Their loss, Julie supposed, although she couldn't help feeling a little resentful towards them for skipping on what was – as far as she was concerned – the greatest performance of the evening. Even from here she recognized Here comes the next, which meant that at least they weren't very late. Still, there was a distinct impatience to the way she looked as the guy at the entrance checked their tickets – there was bit of a queue, to make matters worse – and by the time they'd finally made it inside goosebumps littered her light skin and a look of frustration littered her otherwise pleasant features.

The music swelled the moment they set foot inside the club. The Hellcat was a place Julie had been to once before, although Mark had had to point out to her that they'd gone to some obscure band he liked together, a couple of years back. Even now she didn't recognize it, but admittedly, all these sorts of clubs were the same to the girl. They were likely the same to Bryce as well, although his opinion somewhat deviated from that of Julie – and outright opposed the way Mark felt about it – but that was a bit of a recurring theme; anything that involved her childhood friend and current roommate was sure to carry Bryce's disapproval, and the same was true for most of the other band members of Reckless Life. It had been an issue more than once, one where more often than not Julie had to be the peacekeeper. It was no secret that Bryce abhorred the fact that his significant other socialized with people he considered beneath him and although Mark would often be a bit more restrained in sharing his opinion on Julie's boyfriend of close to two years, the same wasn't true for his fellow band member Cave; the outspoken lead singer openly detested Bryce and had no trouble pointing this out; it was probably a good thing he didn't visit the apartment much for that reason, since every encounter between the two men would inevitably accumulate into a shouting match that more often than not had forced Julie to pull her boyfriend into her room whilst Mark and Cave went out for the night. He didn't seem to come around much anymore nowadays.

The room was not as full as it could be, but Julie noticed that as they stepped into the main hall, people were already beginning to flock to the stage, their interest piqued by the raw sound of guitars, the talent of the lead singer's voice and the music, reminiscent of the classics but with a style so very much their own. Julie had never doubted their talent, and to see people genuinely intrigued by these unknown newcomers filled her with a giddy sort of happiness. It had her barge through the crowd, ignoring Bryce's suggestion to get some drinks first. His hand firmly clenched in hers she elbowed her way past most of the audience, her adamance to get to the front a polar opposite to her gentle nature in most other situations. She'd promised, and when it came to Mark and his band, Julie made no concessions, and she gladly offended an onlooker or two just to get a good view of the stage. Past people taller and broader than her she caught glimpses of them all; Stace, Dalton, Cave, Ren and naturally, Mark. There was something really endearing about the way he poured his heart into his music, although Julie knew better than to ever word it like that out loud. It was probably a combination of having known him from the time they still played hide and seek in Miss Applebee's back yard and knowing just how hard he's worked to get where he was now. Was it weird to feel so proud that people looked so excited to see him play, to hear his music? Sure, it was a team effort, but no matter how much their frontman stood in the spotlight, there was only one star to the fair-haired girl in the crowd. She didn't pause until she'd found a spot from where she could see them perfectly. Near them she noticed a few familiar faces; Vere and Simon and Matthew, all die-hard fans since the very beginning. Julie gave them a happy wave, not bothering to try and talk; the bass droned loudly, the music sent vibrations through the floor and even seemed to make the air around her reverberate. Behind her, Bryce wrapped her arms around her waist. Julie felt much more like jumping, dancing and screaming 'til her voice gave away. The club was getting more crowded by the minute, people were cheering and exchanging looks of pleasant surprise that an opening act could actually be entertaining for once. The music world was a cruel place and Julie had worried on Mark's behalf that it would reject them no matter how good their music was. Now that she looked around though, she couldn't imagine what she'd been afraid of.

They were absolutely amazing.

-----

“You guys were absolutely amazing!”

It was a bit of a challenge to make her way past the excited rock fans surrounding the band as they sat at the bar, and a few people cast Julie annoyed looks, probably mistaking her for another groupie thinking she was somehow more important than the rest of them. If Ren hadn't noticed her in the crowd she probably wouldn't even have been able to get within hearing distance of the band to begin with, but he'd made sure the girl was able to get close enough to squirm into a seat between the bass player and Mark. She didn't hesitate before wrapping her arms tightly around her friend's shoulders; he felt sticky and warm and the smell of cheap alcohol and cigarettes clung to his hair, something unavoidable in a place like this. Julie had to raise her voice significantly to make herself heard above the roar of the crowd and the excited chatter of the people wanting a moment of attention from the members of Reckless Life, which was a bit of a challenge since all the shouting and singing along had made her rather hoarse.

“I told you you didn't have to worry, everyone loves you!” It was a moment later that Julie let go again, and she sat back in her seat to look up at Mark – although his emotions weren't as much on the surface as they were with Julie, it didn't take much to see that he was pleased – more than pleased, she daresay that he was outright ecstatic. “And you put on such a great performance, that solo at the end, that-- oh, and you played my favourite song!” Julie was talking particularly fast, something she was prone to when she was excited, and right now, being excited was a severe understatement of how she felt. They'd absolutely nailed every song they'd played right down to the final chord.

“This must be my favourite performance sofar! Well...” she shrugged meaningfully, a smile widening on her lips, “Second-favourite, of course.” Julie pressed her hands to her lap for fear that she'd go and hug him all over again. Curiously she looked around herself, and for a moment wondered how it felt to have people surrounding you, wanting your attention, praising you for something you had done. It was probably a feeling unlike any other. “I uh, got here just as you started playing. Sorry I was late. Me and Bryce got caught up at the restaurant, but we still managed to arrive on time and --

He probably didn't want to hear it, but she knew that Mark would be wondering where Bryce was right now. Or maybe he wasn't but she felt she should share it regardless. Perhaps if just because it was the only stain on an otherwise perfect evening... well, the latter half of it, anyway.

“Bryce is waiting outside, he, uh... said the smoke and the music were giving him a migraine.” And that was technically true, but she was no fool, and the underlying meaning had been clear. Apologetically she looked to Mark, not really wanting to take away from this euphoric evening. Luckily, someone handed them both a beer and she gladly let it distract her. The mood around Julie was infectious and the alcohol definitely helped, too; forgetting about a sulking boyfriend for a while wasn't too difficult now. “So tell me everything,” she insisted, “How was it? How did it feel to see that entire crowd go wild? Do you think Reckless Life will get famous now?”

{Closed}

Right, never mind then.

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So...are you still going to be writing? It's been nearly 2 weeks now.

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's okay, I'll just sit here and wait ;)

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There you go! I had to rush a little as I'm off for another long work shift, but I really wanted it to be done before I left. See you later!